HYDERABAD, March 6: The seventh national symposium on “Analytical and Environmental Chemistry” concluded at the University of Sindh on Wednesday.

Research scholars from all over the country participated in the two-day symposium in which about 70 papers were read and five lectures were delivered. Twenty presentations were also given.

The participants recommended that a close liaison among academic institutions should be made and debates should be arranged to find solutions to problems confronting the education of science and research.

They expressed their concern over the degradation of environment, especially in urban areas, due to disposal of waste and discharge of effluents into water supply lines.

They stressed the need for legislation at the federal level to check environmental degradation. The scholars said industrial, commercial and residential areas in cities should be demarcated. They also expressed concern over deterioration of soil in Sindh.

The participants called upon the government to maintain the present percentage of GDP for science education and research.

They said research scholars should be allowed unrestricted travel and generous funding for participating in conferences and seminars.

They also called for tax exemption on purchase of research journals and books.

The symposium was organized by the Centre of Excellence in Analytical Chemistry, in collaboration with the Dr M. A. Kazi Institute of Chemistry and the Centre for Environmental Studies, University of Sindh.